One of the newer buffet places in Metro Manila is Niu by Vikings at SM Aura. Niu, which means ‘9’ in Old Norse (language of the Vikings), is the 9th restaurant of the Vikings group. Its opening generated a lot of buzz because it promised to offer a fine-dining experience to buffet lovers.

One of my closest friends invited me to have lunch at NIU. He had a contact who was able to secure us a table for a Chinese New Year lunch.

I have been working out in Eclipse Gym along Shaw Boulevard since 2011. When I started, my choice of post-workout meal was limited to either Mang Inasal Chicken or KFC. As the years go by, more and more restaurants pop up near the gym.

The latest one that caught my attention is Hot Star Large Fried Chicken at Shaw 500 Zentrum.

Hot Star is an import from Taiwan. It became popular in the Shilin night market of Taipei for its large fried chicken chops.

When I was in elementary (mid-90’s), our family often had dinner at Tom Sawyer’s in Greenhills. After picking us up in La Salle, my parents will bring us there. The restaurant was known for their juicy super-sized crispy fried chicken which they prepared only upon being ordered.

It was located along a strip of restaurants in the area where the Promenade was built on. I have many happy memories at Tom Sawyer’s and my love for fried chicken pretty much began there. The restaurant had a special place in my heart.

Sadly, probably due to the development plans for the Greenhills Shopping Center, Tom Sawyer’s had to close. I couldn’t remember which year the restaurant closed but it was probably before I began high school. Continue reading →

I love afternoon tea. It’s one of those dainty activities that I love treating myself to.

Yesterday, I had an impromptu lunch date with my cousins and my mom. It was one of those moments wherein I suddenly dialed a number for no reason at all.

We agreed to meet up at Greenbelt 5. Picking a restaurant to have lunch in is always a difficult task. I initially wanted to eat at Flavors in Holiday Inn but it was full. We ended up having a hearty meal at Krazy Garlik.

After having a somewhat sinful (oily) lunch, I asked them if they wanted to have tea to cleanse our palate. The choice for afternoon tea in Greenbelt 5 is very obvious: TWG.

In 2014, I spent some time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I usually try staying in different hotels but recently, I stay in Starwood properties as much as possible.

In my trips to Malaysia last year, I chose to stay in Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur situated along Jalan Sultan Ismail.

Beautiful hotel near the city center.

It is conveniently located near the Medan Tuanku KL Monorail station and the Dang Wangi LRT Station. There’s also a newly-opened mall, the Quill, across the hotel. Inside the hotel, you will be greeted by a beautiful staircase that is part of the classy and charming interior. Continue reading →

I traveled to Kuala Lumpur quite frequently last year and did my best to avoid Malaysia Airlines. Why? Let’s just say I was scared. I often ended up flying with Cathay Pacific which necessitates a stop in Hong Kong. What were supposedly 3 hour 45 minute flights became tiring 9 hour journeys.

So on my last visit to the home of the Petronas Towers, I chose to fly with Malaysia Airlines. My mom and siblings asked me to cancel my trip when they found out I booked with the airline but I told them not to worry. I’ve read many unpleasant stories about Malaysia Airlines but I decided to give them a try anyway. Continue reading →

I know a handful of people who follow my blog and most of them are asking me to continue writing. It’s really difficult to blog when: 1) You don’t have your own laptop; 2) You are very busy with work; and 3) You have a huge back log of things to write about and they end up feeling like a burden.

Probably one of the reasons why I don’t blog regularly is mobility. I take a lot of food photos and I post them on Instagram instead of writing lengthy reviews here on my blog. Twitter hears most of my rants. As for my (mis) adventures, I share them on Facebook. I will be writing about my 2014 events but as ‘in retrospect’ posts.